Comey tells colleagues he will miss ‘the mission deeply’

Former FBI Director James Comey, who was dismissed on Tuesday by U.S. President Donald Trump, sent a farewell letter last night to his close colleagues: “I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won't either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.”

Former FBI Director James Comey sent a letter to his close colleagues on Wednesday evening. “I have long believed that a President can fire an FBI Director for any reason, or for no reason at all,” Comey wrote. “I’m not going to spend time on the decision or the way it was executed. I hope you won't either. It is done, and I will be fine, although I will miss you and the mission deeply.”

Comey added: “I have said to you before that, in times of turbulence, the American people should see the FBI as a rock of competence, honesty, and independence. What makes leaving the FBI hard is the nature and quality of its people, who together make it that rock for America.”

“It is very hard to leave a group of people who are committed only to doing the right thing,” he continued. “My hope is that you will continue to live our values and the mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution.” Comey closed the letter by stating: “Working with you has been one of the great joys of my life. Thank you for that gift.”

Amid the political storm in the U.S. in light of Comey’s shocking dismissal, White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that Trump had already considered firing the FBI director when he was elected in November.

Sanders said that Trump “lost confidence” in Comey over the past few months due to his conduct in various investigations. She even added that Comey committed “atrocities” during the investigation into former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s emails.